Essential IVP Reference Collection, The

The Essential IVP Reference Collection. Version 2.0. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2003, $180.00, CD-ROM.

The Essential IVP Reference Collection (EIVPRC) facilitates the use of computer technology to do biblical research. Its target audience is "pastors, scholars, students, Sunday School teachers and anyone who is serious about studying the Bible" (inside cover). The technology behind EIVPRC is the Libronix Digital Library System by Logos, a powerful tool for working with electronic books and an upgrade from the earlier Logos Library System that operated Version 1.0.

EIVPRC1S goal is to include "only work from the best of today's biblical and theological scholars" (inside cover). To that end, the CD-ROM includes the following works: New Bible Dictionary, New Bible Commentary, New Dictionary of Theology, New Bible Atlas, New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, Dictionary of the Later New Testament, Dictionary of New Testament Background, The IVP Bible Background Commentary (OT and NT), Hard Sayings of the Bible, Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, Pocket Dictionary of Biblical Studies, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics and Philosophy of Religion, and Pocket Dictionary for the Study of New Testament Greek. The CD also contains the KJV Bible. Other Bible translations, as well as The Complete Works of Josephus and The Works ofPhilo, are on the CD and may be accessed for an additional fee.

Once EIVPRC is installed, a home page provides an overview and helpful information for getting started. The "Quick Tips" lay a basic foundation for proceeding, and the "Library Links" section gets one right into using the product. I found the home page quite helpful. The information is presented in such a way that novice computer users can understand it, but it contains enough depth and assistance that all should read it as a first step.

The library browser is easy to use, as is the search feature, which can be limited or expanded to one's desire. The tool bar is easily navigable and allows the user to return to the home page with one mouse click. Naturally, the speed at which one can access many articles in several key works makes EIVPRC a valuable study tool. I personally would rate myself a "semi-advanced level computer user"-somewhat more advanced than many of my colleagues but not as advanced as many of my students!-and I found navigation between various works easy to figure out.

Prices for unlocking desired additional files vary, and in some cases may be beyond IVP's control. The Complete Works of Josephus costs only $19.95 and The Complete Works of Philo $24.95, while Bible translations cost $19.95 (RSV), $39.95 (Message, NLT, NRSV) or $49.95 (NASB).

EIVPRC will prove a valuable asset for those who want to quickly access the results of the solid evangelical scholarship contained in these works.

Bryan E. Beyer

Columbia International University, Columbia, SC

Copyright Evangelical Theological Society Mar 2004
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